Tripster ATR finally built up – lush!

Bah ! I want a mug as well to show my allegiance ! 😥

I’ve been following this post with great interest. I have a long term test Tripster coming courtesy of Rory at Kinesis. The plan is to build it up from scratch then use it for adventures, touring and (gulp!) racing for Grit.Cx. Cannae wait! 😀

I have a long term test Tripster coming courtesy of Rory at Kinesis

Can he supply me one as well ? 🙂

nice one sanny – i love mine. it’s quick, comfortable and adaptable – nowt not to like to be perfectly honest – an excellent bit of kit.

am looking at better wheels for road use, but to be fair, the kinesis cx at the price / weight / strength seem absolutely spot on !

@ sanny – it’s not the new A.C.E. proto Dom posted on twitter yesterday is it?

the tripster ACE !!!! i reckon that’ll have slightly softer geometry than the ATR ?

the only problem with the ATR is the post mount disc calipers interference with the guard stays and he manipulation required to fit guards – a royal PITA.

i think an inboard rear caliper location would alleviate the rear guard fitment issues , but the front is still a PITA.

must get onto twitter for a look !

So could this also mean an Alloy equivalent of the ATR? I NEED details dammit! I don’t twitter, someone please help!!

There’s not much more on twitter, just that teaser pic. Twitter is very useful for all things Kinesis_UK 🙂 That’s how I first found out about the Sync.

It’s the Ti one for me. I had a long chat with Rory yesterday talking about the frame and the idea behind it. I ran a Ritchey Swiss Cross for years until I got hit by a car and have been contemplating this kind of bike for a while. It ticks many boxes – big clearances, ti, discs, geometry a little more relaxed than my cross bike – a bike for adventures and exploring! I rode the Three Lochs Way as part of a Loch Lomond loop last weekend on my Fargo and it’s that kind of riding that I am planning for the Tripster…….whoop! 😀

So … wheels … what’s everyone using then?

c_g continues her research. 😉

I wish this thread would eff the eff off, it’s giving me the wants

Bimbler, you really aren’t alone! I’m just keeping it going as a fishing exercise now to see who else gets sucked in, I MAY fall foul of my own evil plan one day though!

The tripster is still too much money for me, but I’m intrigued by the good value looking pro6 build at £1080. Not wanting to race, but for similar do it all riding how do you think this will compare to the tripster? Anyone had/ridden both?

I had a pro 6 before my tripster…. It more a proper cx bike. It’s racier and not as relaxed as the tripster and not as comfortable on longer rides. Mine was slightly too big which is the only reason I sold the frame

If you look at the ACE, the C is for commute. It won’t be just an alloy version of the Tripster, it will be a different bike, flat bars rather than drop.

cinnamon_girl – I’m using the Kinesis CX Disc wheels, they’re great, so far indestructible off-road, plenty good enough for the road. Thoroughly impressed with them.

bobster, is that a certainty? A lot of people commute on drops? I’d love to see more of the build *nudge*nudge* come on Kinesis drop some more hints!

flat bars rather than drop

only last week I asked Dom if strut bars would be a good idea, with shorter stem maybe. Always like the flat bar Cotic Road Rats.

Hmm, I’d love to see a non-Ti version of the ATR made light still (so not out of scaffold pipe like my Pompino) with drops and a relaxed not race CX geometry that fits fatties and is under the £2k pice tag that the ATR is. Any chance you reckon?

bobster – thanks for that. 🙂

toby1 – Agree about commuting on drops, was just trying to highlight that I believe the ACE will be a variation on a theme.

For those not following Kinesis on twitter:

But I don’t ‘know’ anything, just guestimating.

I see Freeborn have just nudged the price up by another £30

I see Freeborn have just nudged the price up by another £30

Good.

When it was £1800-ish I was almost justifying it to myself. Now it’s nearly £2k, I know I have to leave it alone.

Cheers Bobster 🙂

Anyone listening at Kinesis, please consider both a drop and flat bar option when spec’ing the ACE.

Just an update, for those that were wanting to go shorter on gearing.
I have just fitted a 12-30 ultegra cassette with no other changes and it works fine 😀
Did a clubrun on it on Tuesday night and it’s doing it’s first proper sportive on Sunday.
Still on knobblies as I’m waiting for the 28c 4 seasons and Tubus Airy to arrive from Germany
I do love this bike 😉

When it was £1800-ish I was almost justifying it to myself. Now it’s nearly £2k, I know I have to leave it alone.

A year ago, my frameset was £1500 less a little softener from my lovely LBS (but nowhere near as much as some of the current deals out there). They also supplied the Spyres and more recently, the latest CX Disc wheels – both with a little biscuit fund built in. My 6700 groupo was from Merlin, the carbon Ritchey bits from Chain Reaction’s sale bin. Other bits came from my diminishing collection of bikes, eBay, STW etc and it’s still cost a small fortune.

It’s also still the best value bike I’ve ever owned. I actually couldn’t justify *not* having it.

I see Freeborn have just nudged the price up by another £30

Massive profiteering! (or a revision in costs based on the buying in price of bikes/parts for the builds).

Well I got my Tripster yesterday from Freeborn before the recent little price nudge.

Superbly packaged and easy for even an idiot like me to assemble.

Had a little 10 mile spin on it last night and what a superb little bike …….

Felt more at home on it immediately than I ever did on my, now gone, Whyte 146.

On a mixture of country lanes, roads, bridleway and stony tracks, it was a hoot to ride ….although it’s speed over gravel sections took me by surprise as I hit a rocky section far too quickly, so will have to watch that.

I’m immediately taken by the compliant ride and comfiness so pretty chuffed so far …:-)

Cheers
JD

heads up – http://www.bridgestreet.cc for the ultimate tripster saddle bag – i just bought a medium – the perfect all day companion !

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Mega rubber fitted to @kinesis_uk #Tripster #ATR, off out to Stanmer Park to give it a try…..[/url] by South Downs MTB Skills[/url], on Flickr

Just added some 42c tyres, plenty of clearance still left, lots of cushioning for zipping over Stanmer Park’s roots and flints.

hummerlicious – pics on your return and impressions too please 🙂

Ouch. Just binned mine for the first time in 3,700 miles… Stupidly took on a cattle grid at about 20mph on a downhill section and hit the deck hard on the drive side. I think it’s all ok – the mech hanger snapped off, so the LBS is getting one in for me. I am now sporting the 2014 Tour de France look du jour of gravel rash and cuts on my right knee, hip and elbow (serves me right for shouting at the TV during the first week) and other than a scratched skewer, it all seems ok. Fortunately, I’d opted to not wear my one-ride-old bibs so the old ones have lost a bit more fabric, as has an arm warmer.

TBH, I can’t believe I was so naive to think that in the rain, downhill and off camber, mixing the skinny centre tread on the Land Cruisers with some slick metal bars was ever going to work. It was a real shame as I had a cracking ‘gravel’ exploring route planned. Ah well – TdF, golf and F1 for the rest of the afternoon and MTB in the morning to wear the stiffness off.

gtth – not good but at least it’s only scrapes – thank goodness for replaceable mech hangers !

Cheers tlr – kicking myself, but yeah – far better it being a mech hanger rather than a remortgage!

TLR – tyres worked great off road, got caught in a thunderstorm on the road and they did feel slightly sketchy when I tried to corner hard, otherwise they’re fine though. The extra volume did a great job of soaking up the roots and flints, also the traction uphill was improved a bit too.

ready for the big commute starting tomorrow :

[/url]IMAG0392 by the_lecht_rocks[/url], on Flickr[/img]

[/url]IMAG0393 by the_lecht_rocks[/url], on Flickr[/img]

I did a 50mile sportive on mine yesterday, still on the knobblies but the bike was lovely to ride and I could keep up with the group no problem at 17mph ish average.
The roads had quite a lot of debris washed on to them after the storms, but on the tripster I didn’t have to worry, unlike a lot of the people I was riding with !

Phone call made,
CC numbers given,
Debt incurred for the foreseeable,
Ali Tripster 57cm frame for sale soon.
Tim

(I blame you lot for unfair encouragement)

why no 63 in the ATR ?

2 bloody punctures – i think i need to replace the rear rim tape, but otherwise a successful commute.

25km on B roads in, 20km through the forest home.

bike is excptional – quick, comfortable and great on B roads.

whether it’s ideally suited to the forest trails is open to debate – but i reckon it’d be a winner on anything 32c and above like hummerlicious – lovely bike.

TLR, why didn`t you run it on the standard WTBs ?
(Just curious as I`ve found them pretty versatile and not lacking in grip pumped up on road or softer off road ?)